Former North Queensland Cowboys forward Jamal Shibasaki is reportedly set to land an NRL lifeline with the Brisbane Broncos.
Shibasaki was among a list of seven players farewelled by the Cowboys at the end of 2025.
That list included Jordan McLean (retired), Reece Robson (Sydney Roosters), Semi Valemei (Castleford Tigers) and Tom Duffy (Brisbane Broncos), while Shibasaki was joined by Marly Bitungane and Nicholas Lenaz as the players without deals elsewhere or links to other clubs.
But Shibasaki's NRL career is reportedly set to continue, with News Corp reporting the Broncos will offer him a lifeline to continue his journey.
There, Jamal Shibasaki will link up with brother Gehamat, who has had a wonderful 2025 campaign, seeing him rise from a train and trial deal at the start of the year, to being a permanent first-grade player who made his State of Origin debut, played in the winning grand final side, and is now set to make his Kangaroos debut in the first Ashes Test against England at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.
RELATED: Jamal Shibasaki opens up on his rugby league journey
"My dream is for me and him to play in the same NRL team together but if we could get to this level [State of Origin] that'd be the ultimate dream," the older Shibasaki told Zero Tackle.
"Even though we are like seven years apart, me and him are very close.
"I want to set that example for him to come through and I don't want him going through the same thing I did.
"I want him to have a successful career, so I'm willing to cop it all and then take the tough yards for him to be able to go through it.
"I want him to play consistent NRL footy and I want him to get all the accolades he deserves."
It's unclear at this stage whether the younger Shibasaki - who has represented Queensland in the junior State of Origin series - will be signed to a Top 30, development, or train and trial deal at the Broncos.
He could well start the same way his brother did - on a train and trial deal worth just $1200 per week - with a chance to impress coach Michael Maguire who has not been backwards about making surprise selection calls based on training paddock performances.
The Broncos do still have a handful of spots available on their roster for 2026 though, and have been on the look out for forward pack re-enforcements.
RELATED: Current Broncos 2026 squad
Fletcher Baker's looming departure after not being re-signed, combined with the exit of Kobe Hetherington to Manly, and, from the start of the season, the release of Martin Taupau, has left some gaps in Brisbane's 2026 roster when it comes to depth in the forward pack.
Shibasaki would be unlikely to land an immediate starting spot, stuck behind Payne Haas, Patrick Carrigan, Corey Jensen, Jaiyden Hunt, Xavier Willison, Benjamin Te Kura and impressive mid-season signing Ben Talty, but could add the final piece of the roster puzzle to the middle third for the Red Hill-based outfit.
As it stands, the Broncos have four spots left to officially fill on their 2026 roster.
